Doi Inthanon by motorbike: riding to the roof of Thailand
8 min read · Updated August 2026 · By the RideLanna team in Chiang Mai
Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand at 2,565 metres, and the road goes all the way to the top. From the rice plains near Chom Thong you climb through four climate zones to a summit of cloud forest, moss and, on a January morning, actual single-digit temperatures. Riders arrive at the roof of Thailand wearing every layer they packed and grinning about it.
As a day trip from Chiang Mai it is about 100 km each way, and the climb itself is one of the longest continuous ascents you can ride in the country. Here is how to do it properly.
The route and the fees
Head south from Chiang Mai on Route 108 through Hang Dong and San Pa Tong to Chom Thong, then turn onto Route 1009, the park road that climbs 47 km to the summit. Leave by 7 am and you are at the top before the tour vans, with the whole descent ahead of you as a reward.
Doi Inthanon is a national park: foreigners pay around 300 THB entry plus a small fee for the bike at the checkpoint on the 1009. Keep the ticket, there is a second checkpoint further up.
What bike can make the climb?
This is the one ride around Chiang Mai where engine size genuinely matters. The 1009 climbs over 2,000 vertical metres, and the final kilometres pitch steeply.
- 125cc scooters make it, slowly, two-up they suffer: expect walking pace on the steepest ramps
- 155 to 160cc (NMAX, PCX) is the sensible minimum for a comfortable solo climb
- A Forza 350 or a CRF 250L turns the mountain into pure pleasure, this is their home ground
- Whatever you ride, brakes matter more than power: the descent is 47 km long, use engine braking or pulsed braking and stop if you smell heat
The stops that make the day
Spread along the 1009, from bottom to top:
- Mae Klang waterfall near the park entrance, an easy warm-up stop
- Wachirathan waterfall at km 21, the thundering one, expect rainbow spray on your visor
- The twin pagodas (Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri) at km 41, gardens hanging over the clouds, the postcard of the whole trip
- The summit boardwalk through the mossy cloud forest, cold, quiet and unlike anywhere else in Thailand
- Mae Ya waterfall on a separate southern spur if you have energy left, arguably the most beautiful fall in the province
Cold, cloud and timing
The summit is routinely 15 to 20 degrees colder than Chiang Mai. In cool season that means 5 to 10 degrees with wind chill on a moving bike: bring a real jacket, and gloves if you own them. Riders in shorts and a rain poncho at the top are a daily sight and a daily regret.
Clouds usually swallow the summit by late morning. The classic plan: summit first thing, then work back down through the pagodas and waterfalls as the valley warms up. In rainy season treat the mountain with respect, visibility on the upper 1009 can drop to a few metres inside cloud.
Quick answers
Can I ride Doi Inthanon on a 125cc scooter?
Solo, yes, patiently. The steepest ramps will slow you to 20 km/h with the throttle pinned. Two-up or with luggage, rent something bigger for the day, your scooter and your passenger will both thank you.
How long is the Doi Inthanon day trip?
Ten to eleven hours door to door if you take the stops seriously: roughly two hours riding each way plus the 47 km climb and descent, waterfalls, pagodas and lunch. Leave at 7 am, back before dark. Never ride the 108 home at night.
Is there fuel on the mountain?
Fill up in Chom Thong before the park road. There is no petrol station on the 1009 itself, and the climb drinks noticeably more fuel than flat riding.
Doi Inthanon or the Mae Hong Son Loop?
Different animals. Inthanon is one big spectacular day. The loop is a multi-day journey that actually passes Inthanon's doorstep: many riders bolt the summit onto the last day of the loop via Route 108.
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